Nov. 10, 2022  
Special Announcements
Car Fire in Dogwood Deck Impacting Parking at UNC Hospitals

Due to a significant car fire in the Dogwood Deck across from UNC Hospitals on Manning Drive, traffic is being re-routed to accommodate hospital employees, visitors and patients. Thank you for your patience as the situation evolves.

 
In The News
In The News
Read news media coverage from the past week featuring interviews with UNC School of Medicine faculty, staff and students.
 
Research
UNC Launches Largest COVID-19 Observational Study of its Kind in North Carolina
A new North Carolina study called VISION is underway to answer some of the biggest questions about COVID-19. Led by William Fischer, MD, principal investigator, and David Wohl, MD, co-lead, the study plans to enroll 7,500 COVID-positive individuals to understand the different factors impacting individual risk for key clinical outcomes including recovery from acute illness, symptom rebound, re-infection, and long COVID.
 
Multiple Stressors Contributed to Physician Burnout During First Wave of COVID-19 in the U.S.
A new study led by Mara Buchbinder, PhD, at the UNC School of Medicine, concludes that interventions to reduce physician stress and burnout should target systems factors and stressors at multiple levels.
 
Piven Presents on Autism in Older Age to Special U.S. DHHS Interagency Committee
Joe Piven, MD, the Thomas E. Castelloe Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry, co-presented an overview of autism research in older populations before the US DHHS Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee.
 
Center for Women's Health Research Receives $12.5 Million from NHLBI
In partnership with multiple community agencies across the Triangle, the UNC Center for Women’s Health Research received approximately $2.5 million per year for five years from the National Institutes of Health Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to identify effective strategies for implementing pregnancy-related hypertension best practices in the outpatient setting. Kate Menard, MD, MPH, will lead the work.
 
Cohen, Deshmukh Selected for Second Round of CZI Funding
UNC School of Medicine researchers Sarah Cohen, PhD, and Mohanish Deshmukh, PhD, along with Stanford’s Serena Young, PhD, were selected for second-phase funding for the CZI Neurodegeneration Challenge Network.
 
Kwan and Winslow Receive Pfizer Grant to Address Health Disparities in Antimicrobial Stewardship
The $100,000 2-year grant will help build capacity to address health disparities through antimicrobial stewardship telehealth and telemonitoring.
 
Enyioha Awarded RAMSeS Grant Studying Culturally Adapted Intervention for African American Smokers
Chineme Enyioha, MD, MPH, assistant professor in the UNC Department of Family Medicine, was recently awarded a Research Administration Management System & eSubmission (RAMSeS) award for a study entitled, “Development of a prototype for a mobile health intervention for smoking cessation with features culturally adapted for African American smokers.” Enyioha will focus her work on creating a mobile cessation system specifically targeted at African American smokers.
 
Kowitt Awarded K01 to Help Communicate Harms of Multiple Tobacco Products to Youth
Sarah Kowitt, PhD, MPH, assistant professor in the UNC Department of Family Medicine, was recently awarded a five-year, $762,196 grant by the National Cancer Institute and the FDA. The Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award (K01 grant) focuses on how to communicate the harms of multiple tobacco products that youth may be using—referred to as multiple tobacco product use—instead of just one product at a time.
 
READDI Forethought Accelerates Discovery of Novel Broad-Spectrum Antivirals
The READDI Forethought team brings together a coalition of researchers from Duke, NC Central University, NC State, RTI, and UNC-Chapel Hill — including UNC School of Medicine’s Nat Moorman, PhD — to accelerate development of new broad-spectrum antivirals.
 
Campus Health Research Roundup

Learn about measuring blood oxygen more accurately in people of color, proteins that turn scar tissue into heart muscle and more.

 
Honors and Awards
Samulski Receives Inaugural Award for Pioneering Gene Therapy
The European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy honored the UNC School of Medicine’s Jude Samulski, PhD, co-founder and chief science officer of AskBio, with its inaugural Founder’s Award.
 
Schilling Named Associate Director of Pediatrics for NRSA Primary Care Research Fellowship
Samantha Schilling, MD, associate professor of pediatrics in the Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, has joined the NRSA Primary Care Research Fellowship program to serve as associate director of pediatrics.
 
Budenz Receives AAO 2022 Life Achievement Honor Award
UNC Ophthalmology Department Chair and Kittner Family Distinguished Professor Donald L. Budenz, MD, MPH, received the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)’s 2022 Life Achievement Honor Award at a ceremony held at the organization’s annual meeting in October.
 
Annual $50,000 Innovation Pilot Awards Request for Proposal Released
The Center for Health Innovation of UNC Health and the UNC School of Medicine has released a request for proposals for the 2023 Innovation Pilot Awards. All UNC School of Medicine and UNC Health employees from any owned entity are eligible to apply. Applications are due Jan. 17, 2023, and as many as four awards of up to $50,000 each will be announced in March 2023.
 
Call for Nominations: H. Fleming Fuller Award
Nominations are currently being accepted for the 2021 H. Fleming Fuller Award. The Fuller Award recognizes members of the medical staff who demonstrate the qualities embodied in Dr. Fuller’s lifelong dedication to the highest standards of patient care, teaching and community. Please make your nomination by Friday, Dec. 10.
 
School of Medicine News
UNC TEACCH at 50: A Global Leader in Autism Care, Training, Education, and Research
Efficient, modern, and breathtaking in its scope, UNC TEACCH celebrates its 50th anniversary as a stellar demonstration of commitment, excellence, and collaboration to help individuals with autism and their families across the state and around the world.
 
Internship Focuses on Building a More Diverse, Robust Cancer Research and Care Workforce

The UNC Lineberger and North Carolina Central University Clinical Research Summer Internship, a new partnership between UNC Lineberger and NCCU, provided an opportunity for five NCCU students to participate in the 10-week program at UNC-Chapel Hill to learn firsthand about clinical research and oncology careers as well as to conduct clinical research with their mentors.

 
UNC Program in Nicaragua–Where Learning is Reciprocal
A two-hour flight from Miami to Nicaragua takes UNC-Chapel Hill students to the closest of all Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases country sites, a land of lakes and volcanoes, scenic coastlines and highlands. Minutes from central León, UNC Program in Nicaragua operates through the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua León and its Center for Infectious Disease Research.
 
Three Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Faculty Members Receive Certification
Mina Gayed, DO, Lee Shuping, MD, and Paul Thananopavarn, MD, recently received certification in brain injury medicine from the American Board of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. As certified specialists, these faculty members provide enhanced treatment and managed care to patients with brain function disorder to restore health and function.
 
Nov. 16: Grand Rounds Presentation for Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies
The Grand Rounds is an opportunity for the candidate to share their research program and vision for the Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies. The presentation will be between 30 – 40 minutes, followed by 20 – 30 minutes for questions and discussion. Attendance can be in-person or virtual Note: Clicking ‘Read More’ opens a UNC School of Medicine Intranet page requiring Onyen login.
 
Campus and Community News
Higher Stipends for Graduate Students Announced at Faculty Council

Calling it a “miracle of cooperation,” Provost Chris Clemens said the proposed one-time increase would be the biggest in University history.

 
North Carolina Nursing Faces a Looming Crisis

Already a problem, scarcity in the state will worsen, with demand exceeding supply by nearly 12,500 registered nurses by 2033, a Sheps Center study found.

 
Carolina Blood Drive: Dec. 7
Show you bleed Carolina blue by donating blood with the American Red Cross at the Holiday Carolina Blood Drive, 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 7, in Fetzer Hall. Free parking is available in Cobb Deck and donors will receive a long sleeve commemorative T-shirt while supplies last.
 
November 2022 Employee Forum Recap

Delegates heard from a constitutional expert on speech, the provost and others.

 
Wellness Program Shares November Tips for Employees

Suit up for the Jingle Bell Jog, learn gratitude to reduce stress and more.

 
UNC Health
McNeal-Trice to Step Down as Chief GME Officer for UNC Hospitals
Kenya McNeal-Trice, MD, served in the role for two years and will continue with her work until February 2023, ensuring a smooth transition period.
 
Updated Recommendations for Monoclonal Antibodies and the Newest COVID-19 Variants

The CDC is reporting a rapid rise in the proportion of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID) infections caused by Omicron subvariants. It is important to note that these subvariants are predicted to be resistant to the monoclonal antibodies currently used to prevent and treat this disease. Note: U-number login required.

 
McLendon Labs Memo - Micro #214 - Update on Gastrointestinal Pathogen Panel Testing
Effective Nov. 2, Gastrointestinal Pathogen Panel testing (EPIC: LAB6053) will be performed by the UNC Medical Center Clinical Molecular Microbiology Laboratory.
 
4 Questions to Ask About Your Infusion Therapy

Infusion therapy—the process of giving medication directly into a vein in an outpatient setting—is often a part of regular treatment for people with cancer or those with chronic conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease.

 
Events
Upcoming Events
The UNC Health and UNC SOM Calendar of Events is up to date with the latest information.
 
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